About Spec Up
Inside architecture.
Alongside suppliers.
Spec Up is a specialist agency for building-product businesses. We help teams understand how architects assess products, improve the information that supports specification, and develop practical systems for better work.
A specialist perspective
The most valuable view comes from the audience itself.
An architect's perspective matters not only because architects understand buildings and building products. It matters because, for many suppliers, architects are the audience that must be influenced before a sale can happen.
The architect is not adjacent to the marketing question. The architect is the audience you are trying to influence.
For many building products, specification is the gateway to market. Unless an architect can understand the offer, verify the evidence and specify the product with confidence, it may never reach procurement or installation.
Spec Up brings the viewpoint of a practising architect directly into positioning, websites, technical information and campaigns—so marketing decisions are tested against how the real audience investigates products, assesses risk and decides what to specify.
Founder / Lead consultant
Michael Smith
Michael is a practising architect and director of Andever, an award-winning boutique architectural practice in Carlton, Victoria.
That practising perspective is central to Spec Up’s marketing value: the advice is informed by a member of the audience the work is intended to influence.
Michael has worked with leading product brands on marketing strategy and messaging, and brings critical building-product experience from his role as Consulting Architect to Built Environment Channel.
Michael is also an industry commentator and published author, with work appearing in The Age, Domain and publications for industry bodies.
Practising and project-grounded
Supplier-side advisory experience
Strategy, writing and industry commentary
Applied AI systems for product information and knowledge work
Place
Spec Up works from Carlton on Wurundjeri WoiWurrung Country. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
Start a conversation
Bring an architectural perspective into the room earlier.
We will help define the opportunity, the information and the most useful next step.
Connect with Spec Up